A Greg Lucas Reminder of a Dierker DH Proposal

If all pitchers could hit like The Babe once did, there wouldn’t be any dad-gum DH rule around today to mess things up.

In responding to yesterday’s column on the DH as one of MLB’s major ignored issues, broadcaster/author Greg Lucas aptly reminded us with a comment of support for former Astros icon Larry Dierker’s recent times suggestion as a resolution to the splintering effect this game-changing DH rule has had at the MLB level since 1973.

“I like Larry Dierker’s suggestion that the DH (should) die, but that pinch hitters COULD be used for the pitcher without the pitcher having to come out of the game. (That satisfies those who don’t like the pitcher hitting as well as those who don’t like the DH concept for a single player.) The negotiating ploy would be to offer the union one or two more spots on active rosters. Like Dierk, I just don’t like the concept of a player doing nothing but hit for a whole game. But I agree with most that #4: Cost of attending games could ultimately be the biggest threat to the sport as we know it. That actually applies to all sports since once you price the younger generation out of being able to afford tickets themselves you are cutting off the future.” – Greg Lucas.

The Pecan Park Eagle personally agrees with Larry Dierker and Greg Lucas. If we cannot have our first choice – go back to baseball as it was played prior to the DH period – and then give us a rule that doesn’t include rosters with players who only bat and never field. One of these days, we may actually have a DH up for the Hall of Fame because of his bat who has never taken a single ground ball in the field at any defensive station. And we don’t like that possibility at all.

Frank Thomas didn’t play in the field enough to qualify for the HOF in my book. I’d vote for him no matter how bad a fielder he was with his numbers. But the point is, you have to hit so well that your team is willing to sacrifice defense. That’s part of the beauty of what used to be baseball.

Did you get my email? I asked you if you received Ray’s book that I wanted to give you. Let me know if you have it, if not I am going to send it to you. He died two weeks ago of massive heart attack. I am devastated. Neal

The DH should be abolished. I think that the pitcher should be totally involved. Grady Hatton told me once that most 20-game winners got their by also being able to field their position and contribute with the bat, sacrificing, or with hits. I remember several pitchers, including Dierker, who at least once won their game with a homer.. On their way into the clubhouse, Don Wilson kept saying,”Larry can do it all.”